FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Edison, N.J. – Canisius College has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2012 MAAC Baseball Championship, according to a preseason poll voted on by the league’s nine head coaches.
An extremely close vote saw Canisius top the poll with 61 points followed by Rider University with 60. Manhattan College was picked third with 59 points, while Iona College was fourth with 56. Marist College finished with 53 points, followed by Siena College (43), Fairfield University (42), Saint Peter’s College (16), and Niagara University (15).
Iona senior third baseman Chris Burke was voted the 2012 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. Burke, a native of Islip, N.Y., was second in the league last year with a .368 batting average. His 11 home runs and 114 total bases were both third best in the MAAC, and he also stole 22 bases. Burke, who posted a .462 on-base percentage, drove in 44 runs last season.
Burke was the only unanimous selection to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, getting the nod at third base. Burke’s teammate Mike Chiaravalloti is the first baseman, while Manhattan’s Nick Camastro fills the shortstop position. A tie in the voting puts both Jose Torralba of Canisius and Vincent Citro of Siena at second base. The outfield features Rider’s duo of Brandon Cotten and Nick Crescenzo along with Saint Peter’s Preston Aldridge. Marist’s Eric Helmrich was chosen as the designated hitter, while Canisius’ Drew Pettit takes the utility spot. Manhattan’s battery of John Soldinger and Ramon Ortega make up the spots at pitcher and catcher, respectively.
2012 MAAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
2012 Preseason All-MAAC Team
1. Canisius 61
2. Rider 60
3. Manhattan 59
4. Iona 56
5. Marist 53
6. Siena 43
7. Fairfield 42
8. Saint Peter’s 16
9. Niagara 15
